| Headline: Bill Hambrecht: chairman and CEO, WR Hambrecht & Co Source: Euromoney Date: July 2000 Author: Kay Binnie Unlike many who have only recently become converts, Bill Hambrecht's involvement in the world of e-finance began long before it was trendy. He describes himself as a "Silicon Valley Pioneer". His initial foray into e-finance was as a founding partner in Hambrecht and Quist, a small, successful investment bank, established in 1968, providing broking, research and venture capital services. It specialised in the high technology companies which were just beginning to sprout in a modest way in Silicon Valley. The partners tended their chosen market well during the 1970s and by the time the 1980s hit they were well-placed and well-rewarded as the technology market grew at a ferocious pace and then positively exploded in the 1990s. During this time, venture capital became Hambrecht's particular interest and by the time he resigned as chairman of the company in December 1997, the firm had $1 billion invested in nearly 700 companies. In January 1998, he established W R Hambrecht, a boutique investment bank that provides underwriting and advisory services for technology and emerging companies, as well as investing for its own portfolio. |